Gate-latch.



0. EL HESTBR.

GATE LATCH. APPLIUATIONHLBD 001225, 1912.

Mente@ Feb. 11,1913.

@Dvi/tucasa s OTHO EDWARD HESTEE; F VAN METER, IOWA.

GATE-LATCH.

-a citizen of the United States, residing at Van Meter, in the county ofDallas and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Gate-Latches; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, andf'e'xact description of the invention,such as willena-'ble others skilled in thel art to which it ap'p'er'tains to makeand use the same.

f This invention relates to latches, and more especially to thoseadapted to be vused on gates; and the object pf the same is to producean extremely simple and serviceable .latch of this kind capable ofengaging the free edge of a swinging gate which is adjustable to variousheights, readily opened by the operators linger, and so constructed thatit is extremely diliicult and practically impossible` for stock to openit.

To this end the Vinvention consists in the,

specific details of construction hereinafter more fully described andclaimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the gate,

shown as closed and latched by this improved latch. Fig. 2 is an.enlarged horizontal section through the latch post just above thelatch,showing the lat-ter and the free edge of the gate in full lineswith't-he gate latch closed` and showing t-he latch and the free edgeofthe gate in two positions with the gate open. Figs. 3 and 4 areelevations of this latch, viewed from the inside of the latch-post, theformer showing the latch as closed and the latter showing it as open.Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the base plate, and Fig. 6 is aperspective detail of one of the .t-umblers.

In the drawings the letter G designates a gate hinged at H to ahinge-post P in any sultable way, and adapted to be latched or connectedby my improved latch mechanism to the latch post L in a manner yet to bedescribed.

The sizes, materials, and details of construction of the gate, itshinges, and the posts, are matters of no moment.

. Coming now to the details of the present invention, the numeral 1designates a base lplate secured in any suitable way across theSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, i913.

Application iled October 25, 1912. Serial No. 7f7,7'95.4

that the latch proper, 4, may be mounted between the lugs for horizontalmovement as will-be explained. The latch is of Y-shape. Its lnner endcarries an ear 5 through which and through said lugs passes an uprightpin 6 on which the latch is pivoted, and the outer end of the latch isforked and the fork-arms 7 and 8 deflected outward away from each otherand then in substantially parallel lines to their pointed extremities 9as shown, the space between them being suflicient'to receive the :treeedge 10 of the gate which by preference is covered with metal as seen inFig. 1.

Pivoted to the inner face of the, base plate 1 at opposite sides of thetwo lugs 2 and 3 are like but oppositely disposed tumblers or' pawls,whereof one is well illustrated in Fig. 6 and I will describe butone..Each pawl has an ear 15 at its outer end pivoted as at 16 tothe baseplate 1 beneath a pin 17 which limits the rise of the bodyl of the'pawl, and from the ear the pawl. extends @straight inward as at 18 andforms an angle 19 so that its upright inner face 2O is adapted to restagainst the shank 11 of the latch when the latter projects straightinward from the latch post L, and whose straight lower face 21 isadapted to rest upon the upper face of one of the arms of the latch whenthe latter is turned aside as seen in Fig. 4. T he9 body 18 of the pawlis extended upward into what might be called a tail 22, preferablyhaving a hook 23 to give it weight and to lie over and upon the upperlug 2 as best seen in Fig. 3; and the top of the tail is rounded oli' asat y24 andyet given such coniiguration that the operators linger may behooked behind it to raise it to the dotted line position shown in Fig.3.

In use the base plate is secured to the face of the latch post L (whichlatter may be enlarged as shown-at L in Fig. 3 to give it greatersecurity) and the gate-is latched ,as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Thennow it is desired to unlatch the gate, the operator inserts his lingerover the rounded upper edge 24 of the tail 22 of the nearest pawl, andraises the latter around its pivot 16 to the position shown in dottedlines; this raises the angle 19 and disengages the inner its free edge10 swings the latch from its' full-lined position in Fig. 2 to theposition shown near the bottom of this view, and the gate moves open asindicatedby the arrow. To close the gate and again latch it, it is onlynecessary to push it back to the full lined position, and as it is movedin this direction its free edge passes between the fork-arms 7 and 8 sothat the latch is automatically swung back into place, and as soon asthe nearer arm passes out from under the lower tace 21 of the pawl whichstands elevated, the latter drops into position as shown in Fig.l 3. Itis quite possi- .ble for the operator to insert his finger about asshown in Fig. 3, then push it a little farther in between the latch postL and the free edge 10 of the gate G, and lift the remote pawl, afterwhich he can push the gate open rather than pull it' open; and in thesecircumstances the parts then assume the position shown in Fig. 4, and hecan pass through the gate and Aslam it shut behind him. l Y

A striking feature of advantage arising from the construction abovedescribed, is the factA that it is impossible for any animal toaccidentally or purposely or mischievously open this gate.l .So large ananimal as a horse or cow 'could not insert his lor herv nose in theangle formed between the side of the gate and the inner face of thelatch post, and a small animal could hardly reach up so high with itspaw. l While I have not illustrated any particular type of hinge I-I bymeans of which the ate may be adjusted so as to swing at a igher orlower level, it will be clear that this improved latch coacts with thefree edge 10 of the gate however the latter is adjusted.

The parts are preferably entirely of vmetal, properly treated to preventrust; and

I do not wish to be confined to the specific details' ot constructionfurther than as set l forth below.

at its outer extremity pivoted to said base plate, a strai upon one of tlatter is swung aside, an angle at its inner corner, a straightupright'base adapted to lie against the side of `said shank when the htlower face adapted to lie catch stands at right, anglesto the face otthe post, and an upstanding tail having a rounded face and a hookadapted to engage over the uppermost lug when the latch is closed.

2. In a gate latch, the combination with a base plate adapted to besecured to the inner face of the latch-post and having a verticallyalined pair of spaced lugs, a substantially Y-shaped latch whose armsare spaced suiiiciently to receive the free edge of the 'gate and Iwhoseshank extends loosely between said lugs and is perforated,'a pivot earms of the latch when the 'fol pin passing through the' lugs andperforation, and a pair of pawls each having an ear at its outerextremity pivoted to said base plate, la straight lower ace adapted tollie upon one of the arms of the latch whenthe latter is swung aside, anangle at itsinner corner, a straight upright face adapted to lie againstthe side of said shank when? the catch stands at right angles to theface of the post, and a tail at its upper end. a

3. In a gate latch, the combination with a base plate adapted to besecured to the inner face of the latch-post, and a substantiallyY-shaped latch whose arms are spaced sufficiently to receive the freeedge oflthe gate and whosel shank is mounted on a Ivertical pivotconnecting it with said plate; ot two independent pawls mounted at theirouter ends on horizontal .pivots connect-` ing them with the extremitiesof said plate and projecting thence inward, the pawls being of suchlength that their inner eXtitemities drop alongside theshank of saidlatch when the latter stands at right angles to the face of said plate,and means for supporting either pawl in this position independently ofthe other.

In testimony whereof I have `hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit-- nesses.

OTH() yEDWARD HESTER.

Witnesses:

0. V. 'WHITE, R. E. MALANDER.

